• gian @lemmy.grys.it
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    17 days ago

    I don’t know the inner workings, I can’t even say anything about the speedup, but the UK preferred free markets whereas France prefers state companies. That must have been an endless source for conflicts. I wouldn’t ascribe the entire slowdown to US influence.

    The problem was that UK had a special status, it was a full member but they had a list of exceptions (like the currency, they still used the pound) and in the EU they always were considered the frontend for the USA. It was the UK that blocked some reforms that passed the moment the UK was out.

    I think the Hungary situation was milked to establish the need for a reform. As I wrote at the start, without veto powers, we get closer to the USE. For the USE, that means more power but for the citizens it means less power.

    Maybe, but unanimity was not manageable anymore, too many states with too many different interests. It is not realistic that a small state could hold back EU just because, the decision process became longer and longer and any decision is watered down.

    And I’d like to see something like USE, in my opinion EU is still not integrated enough but I understand that a lot of people need to start to think in a very different way.

    • plyth@feddit.org
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      17 days ago

      It was the UK that blocked some reforms that passed the moment the UK was out.

      Do you know which reforms?

      And I’d like to see something like USE, in my opinion EU is still not integrated enough

      Why do you like it, apart from overcoming blocks?

      • gian @lemmy.grys.it
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        16 days ago

        Do you know which reforms?

        Every reform that increased the integration of EU made after Brexit, basically. Historically UK blocked a lot of reforms because the cannot profit from them. Remember that UK had a special status in the EU, from the beginning, so it was their interest to block reforms that would have forced them to give in some of their advantages. Think about a common European defense, UK always stopped it because they were told so by the US.

        Why do you like it, apart from overcoming blocks?

        First of all, because it is the only logical conclusion if we want to keep Europe somewhat relevant in the world.
        After that, though I’m speaking as an Italian here, maybe politicians will be forced to do more than just try to act like they own their little backyard and probably we will gain something.

        • plyth@feddit.org
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          16 days ago

          keep Europe somewhat relevant i

          Europe is still too relevant for a balanced world. If we are serious about decolonisation then it’s a good thing if we become less relevant and our colonies don’t need us for defence but can fight for the UN to maintain peace. It’s just important to make sure that we cooperate with all the other irrelevant countries so that nobody can dominate us all.

          Think about a common European defense, UK always stopped it

          Bad for the USE, good for remaining just a free market.

          will be forced to do more than just try to act like they own their little backyard

          If we hope for it and don’t have a plan then it won’t happen.

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Grand_Chessboard

          The US are against a strong power in Asia. If Britain was opposing the EU and they allowed Britain to leave then they must feel safe about the future of the EU.

          • gian @lemmy.grys.it
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            13 days ago

            If Britain was opposing the EU and they allowed Britain to leave then they must feel safe about the future of the EU.

            UK was not opposing EU, they were simply watering down everything.
            But even US could not really interfere with UK internal politics to such level. They tried to convince people that were better to stay in the EU but Farage (and in my opinion EU) won.